"Brother, pull yourself together. You're not someone who gets knocked down so easily. We still have to take revenge on Xu Xiu." After comforting Xia Luo, Xia Yu returned to his room.
After some hesitation, he picked up his phone and dialed his sister-in-law's number.
"Hey!" A cheerful female voice answered. "Xia Yu, what's up?"
"Sister-in-law…" Xia Yu lowered his voice, quietly recounting Xia Luo's ordeal in the secret realm to Yu Mengyu.
"That's what happened today. Brother's in a really bad state right now. I thought you might be able to help cheer him up," Xia Yu said.
"I'm coming over right away." Yu Mengyu, Xia Luo's childhood sweetheart, was an ordinary Pokémon Breeder from a regular family, but that never affected their bond. Hearing about Xia Luo's situation, she immediately agreed to come. "Keep an eye on your brother and make sure he doesn't do anything rash."
"Got it. Hurry over. When you get here, don't knock—just call me, and I'll let you in quietly."
"Alright."
…
Fifteen minutes later, Xia Yu's phone rang, and he opened the door for Yu Mengyu.
Despite her rush, Yu Mengyu wore light makeup and carried several boxes. "Xia Yu, these are Dragon- and Flying-type Energy Blocks. Your brother mentioned you caught a Noibat, so I brought these for it. This is honey and Moomoo Milk for your mom—great for skincare. And these are gifts for your dad…"
Even in her haste, Yu Mengyu had brought gifts for everyone, her thoughtfulness impeccable. Xia Yu couldn't help but marvel—his brother was truly blessed to have such a wonderful fiancée.
"Sister-in-law, we're family. You don't need to be so formal. Go check on Brother."
"Mm." Yu Mengyu, visibly anxious, nodded. "I'll leave the stuff on the table. Let your parents know later."
"Got it. Go on."
Yu Mengyu knocked on Xia Luo's door. From inside, Xia Luo's voice called out, "Xia Yu, what's up now?"
The door opened, and when Xia Luo saw Yu Mengyu, his exhaustion vanished, replaced by surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"You didn't tell me about something this big? Xia Yu had to call me," Yu Mengyu said, her teasing tone instantly putting Xia Luo on the defensive.
"I didn't want you to worry," Xia Luo replied.
"Are you going to make me stand in the doorway so Xia Yu can laugh at us?" Yu Mengyu quipped.
"My bad, my bad. Come in!"
Their conversation faded as the door closed. Xia Yu, uninterested in eavesdropping on their private talk, returned to his room.
He checked the post he'd made seeking various stones. The Evolution Keystone he'd ordered was still in transit. With Xingguang City's current situation, outside deliveries were delayed, and it would take a few days for things to normalize.
Scrolling through his messages, he found nothing but junk—fake stones, shady ads, or local "meet-up" scams. Xia Luo, with his good looks, had no need for such services. He closed the post.
Exhausted from barely resting the previous night, Xia Yu felt fatigue set in. He lay down and napped until dinner time.
"Xia Yu, dinner's ready!"
"Coming!"
Yu Mengyu's voice rang out. She was in the kitchen with Xia Yu's mom, both wearing aprons, chatting and laughing about skincare products and clothing store discounts.
A table full of delicious dishes made Xia Yu's mouth water—he was starving.
Xia Luo, after Yu Mengyu's encouragement, still looked worn but was in noticeably better spirits.
Xia Yong opened a bottle of baijiu, pouring a glass for himself, Xia Luo, and Xia Yu. "After everything that happened today, let's all have a drink."
"Comrade Lao Lin, take care of Mengyu. You guys want juice or red wine? Help yourselves," Xia Yong said.
"Juice for me. I'm resting today, but I'm on duty tomorrow," Lin Xuemei said with a smile. "Xia Yu's still in school, so don't let him drink too much."
"Juice it is. I'll follow Aunt Lin's lead," Yu Mengyu nodded, standing up. "I'll grab it. Aunt Lin, you sit."
"Let's eat."
Yu Mengyu and Lin Xuemei's cooking was phenomenal. Xia Yu focused on eating, occasionally joining the family's light conversation. After one small glass of baijiu, his mom stopped him from drinking more.
"Dad, Mom, I have something to say." As the meal wound down, Xia Luo suddenly stood, holding Yu Mengyu's hand and raising his glass. "Mengyu and I have been together for twelve years. Now, I want to marry her."
"That's wonderful news!" Lin Xuemei beamed. Her eldest son was twenty-eight—it was time for him to settle down.
Xia Yong was also fond of Yu Mengyu as a daughter-in-law. Her family background was modest, but she was nearly flawless otherwise. With the Xia family's strength diminished, he had hoped Xia Luo might marry into a wealthier family to help them through tough times. Still, Xia Yong wasn't mercenary. His priority was his children's happiness, and as the saying goes, marry for virtue. Yu Mengyu, kind and wise, was perfect for Xia Luo. Smiling, he said, "If you've made up your mind, go propose properly. Set a date to meet Mengyu's family and finalize things."
"Thank you, Dad, Mom."
"We're family—don't thank us. If anyone deserves thanks, it's Mengyu for choosing you."
…
The once-disheartened family was revitalized by Xia Luo's sudden engagement news.
Three days later, the secret realm stabilized, its entrance fixed in eastern Xingguang City. The Pokémon Association stationed personnel to guard it 24/7 while construction began around the entrance. Large groups of Grass- and Bug-type Pokémon were transported to the realm, transforming it into a Grass/Bug Wild Area and establishing a breeding base. The realm's dense Grass- and Bug-type energy was ideal for raising those Pokémon, promising significant profits from breeding alone.
The realm's emergence was a boon for Xingguang City's development, boosting tax revenue significantly. The Pokémon Association would also assign a Heavenly King trainer to oversee the realm. Due to Xia Yong's outstanding contributions, he was exempted from this year's Gym Leader ranking battles—a blow to Xishu Province's Bug-type trainers, who'd have to wait three more years to challenge for his position. Xia Yong would remain Xingguang City's Bug-type Gym Leader.
Xia Luo, however, was stripped of his Honglian City Gym Leader title due to insufficient strength. For his remarkable contributions, he was granted two opportunities to select any Pokémon (excluding pseudo-legendaries) from Xishu Province's breeding facilities.
The Pokémon Association also estimated the realm's value. The Xia family could invest to purchase a 20% share, entitling them to dividends once the realm was operational. For the first two years, they'd have priority to select one Pokémon from the realm annually. From the third year onward, they'd have one capture quota per year, which could be sold or transferred.
Meanwhile, Xingguang City's delivery services normalized, and Xia Yu received his package—a genuine Mega Evolution Keystone.
Xia Luo visited Yu Mengyu's family to propose. The families met and set the wedding date for October 1, two months away.